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A eSVIAMIILTAMIIM/IV Patented March 29,1881.

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N.PETERS. PHOTO-LIYHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

CHARLES ERNST, OF TIFFIN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE TIFFIN UNION OHURN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WASH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,474, dated March 29, 1-881. Application filed December 20, 1880. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES ERNST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tiffin, in

the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have 5 invented a new and useful Wash-Board, of

uwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in wash-board frames, as hereinafter described, and specifically claimed.

i: The objects of my invention are to make a irm and compact wash-board in acheap and expeditiousmanner, and afford facilities for the renewal of tberubbing-surfaces when damaged or'worn ont, and to avoid the use of either nails i or screws for fastening the parts together, and

thus prevent injury to the clothes from the oxidation of metallic fastenings. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sect-ion through the frame proper, showing the soapboard and rubbingdevice in full. Fig. 2 is a section in the line w x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section of the upper portion of the frame in the line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a section of a portion of the frame and soap-board, and of the dovetailed end of the rubbing-board, in the line z z of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a top view of the frame. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the frame in the line a" xof Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the side bars of' the wash-board, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the rubbing-board. v

Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The side bars, A, and the head-barB constitute the frame proper of my wash-board. Each side bar is at the top provided with-an upright dovetail tenen, a, which tenons are snugly f1tted into the ends of the head-bar B, as at b, and when thus fitted together they are secured i against separation by means of transverse `wooden pins b. The opposing sides ofthe two side bars are provided lwith inner rabbets, c', and doubly-dovetailed grooves a2, said grooveshaving alongitudinal inclination, as in Fig. l, and a longitudinal downward contraction, as shown at c4 in Fig. 4, and being also of dovetailed shape in a transverse direction, as shown at a5 in Fig. 6. These doubly-dovetailed grooves are occupied by corresponding doubly-dovetailed formations o on bot-h sides of the rubbing-board 0. The described doubly dovetailed formations in the side bars, A, and on the 5 5 rubbing-board O, `are uniformly redueedin an upward direction, and at the upper end of the rubbingboard they coincide with the main Width of the rubbing-board C, and with the inner rabbets, c, of the side bars, A-or, in other 6o words, these doubly-dovetailed formations terminate at the upper corners of the rubbingboard. By this'construction a straight continous dovetailed groove in the side bars, A, terminating at `the upper ends of the same, is formed, and consequently, while the requisite holding and locking surface is secured, the sidebars are not greatly weakened.

The rubbing-board G is provided with narrow grooves c', into which the ends of the me- 7o tallic rubbing-surfaces D D are fitted, and instead ot' such grooves gutters czmay be provided, into which the ends of the rubbing-surfaces, when doubled, may be set, as shown in Fig. 2. Both of the rubbing-surfaces D D', 75 thus secured to the rubbing-board O, are edgewise held in position by the rabbets a of the side bars, A.

A cap, E, is fitted over the upper end of the rubbing-board. as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and 8o in the upper side of this cap E, near each of its ends, a groove, as at c, is formed, and into these grooves e the twolegs f of the soap-board F are inserted, while the side edges thereof extend into vertical grooves c of the side bars, A, thus securing steadiness to the cap E and upper part of the rubbing-board C. The space f', between the legs f of the soap-board F and the top of the cap E, is left for the purpose of draining away water or suds which casually 9o collect upon the soap-board. The upper p0rtion of the soap-board F extends into a groove,l

b2, in thehead-bar B, and this, in conjunction with the grooves a6 of the side bars, gives iii-mness to the upper portion of the frame and prevents warping.

These wash-boards, when manufactured in great numbers, are packed for shipment by y taking them apart and putting the'parts closely together in such order that no spaces are left :oo

fitted over the dovetailed tenons ot' the side bars, and the pins inserted into the holes in the ends ot' the head-bars. This operation reversed Will result in separating all the parts of the frame.

As similar parts of all these Wash-boards are constructed alike, it is evident that any part broken, lost, or Worn away can be easily replaced by simply buying the same from the dealer and applying it in place ofthe old one; but the main utility in this regard is in the capability of replacing a worn-out or'damaged rubbing-surface by a new one.

I deem it proper to state that, while my construction of a wash-board dispenses with the use of metallic fastenings, I do not con tine myself to the use of wooden pins for preventing the interlooked parts from separating, for it is evident that metal pins might be used Without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination With a Wash-board frame, a rubbing-board provided with means, as described, on its side edges, whereby it is held from transverse movement in the side grooves of the frame, while it is held from vertical movement by means, as described, which are, with said board and frame,maintained in position by two pins passed through the upper ends of the side bars and through the top bar, substantially as described.

2. In a Wash-board, the combination of a rubbing board, C, having doubly dovetailed tenonsc, and two side pieces,A,having doubledovetailed grooves a2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In awash-board, the side bars, A, having inner rabbets, a', which communicate with double-dovetail grooves a?, in combination with the rubbing-board C, havin g doubly-dovetailed tenons, rubbngsurfaces D D', and cap E, substantially as described.

4c. In a wash-board, `the side bars, A, having K double-dovetail grooves a2 and plain grooves a, in combination with the rubbing-board C, provided with doubledovetail tenons, the soap-board F, having legs f, and the cap E, having grooves e, substantially as described.

5. In a Wash-board, the side bars, A, provided With donble-dovetail grooves, and having dovetail-tenons a, in combination With the head-bar B, having dovetail-notohes b and fastening-pins b', and the board G, having double dovetail tenons, substantially as de# scribed.

Signed in presence of two subscribing Witnesses. v

D. B. LAiRD, C. F. MoRLocK. 

